1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to oil and water separators and more particularly pertains to a new vehicle liquid waste collection system for collecting fluids from a vehicle and separating non-water soluble materials from water soluble materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of oil and water separators is known in the prior art. More specifically, oil and water separators heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,145; U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,085; U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,009; U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,841; U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,825; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,863.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new vehicle liquid waste collection system. The inventive device includes a support member having an upper surface and opposite first and second ends. The upper surface is for supporting a vehicle when the vehicle is positioned on the upper surface. A ramp assembly extends from the first end of the support member for facilitating positioning the vehicle on the upper surface of the support member. The ramp assembly further being for elevating the first end of the support member relative to the second end of the support member. A containment wall extends upwardly from the upper surface for collecting liquid waste falling from the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned on the upper surface of the support member. The support member includes an aperture in the upper surface proximate the second end and a duct has a first end in environmental communication with the aperture whereby gravity urges the liquid waste collected through the aperture into the duct. A collection member has a hollow interior. The collection member includes a dividing wall separating the hollow interior into a first chamber and a second chamber. The duct has a second end in environmental communication with the first chamber. The first end of the duct is elevated relative to the second end of the duct whereby liquid waste collected passes through the duct and into the first chamber such that the liquid waste is collected in the first chamber. Non-water soluble contaminants in the liquid waste having a lower density than water are positioned above an upper surface of water collected in the first chamber. A tube has a lower end in communication with the first chamber through a hole in the dividing wall. The tube has an open upper end located at a higher vertical elevation than an upper edge of the hole in the dividing wall. The upper end of the tube is in environmental communication with the second chamber whereby non-water soluble contaminants positioned above the upper surface of water collected in the first chamber are retained in the first chamber as liquid is drawn through the tube into the second chamber when the upper surface of water collected in the first chamber is at a higher elevation than the upper edge of the hole in the dividing wall.
In these respects, the vehicle liquid waste collection system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of collecting fluids from a vehicle and separating non-water soluble materials from water soluble materials.